RIPTIDE - Neteyam fanfic

two

"just relax"

Stelle' made her way to a large rock by the sea where they would be teaching the sully's breathing tecniques. Everyone was already there. She was the last to arrive having been scavenging for more shiny things in the reef.

She approached them coming from the sea. The family seemed surprised to see her come from the ocean instead of the homes.

"Where were you?", tsireya questioned. "We were about to start without you."

"Looking for things like this." Stelle' pulled out a shiny shell, it glistened in the sunlight as she angled it towards tsiereya so she could see. She noticed the young one Tuk looking at it in mesmerization and placed it in her hair. "There. It looks great on you."

Her eyes lit up, a smile emerging on her features. "Really? Thank you!"

"No problem." Stelle' sat where there was room left in the circle which just so happened to be between Tuk and Neteyam.

Tsireya commenced the lesson. "Breath deeply through here." She placed a hand on her stomach. "Slow your heart beat." She placed the other on her heart. "It will help you hold your breath longer underwater. Try it."

Everyone in the circle tried. kirri was a natural and tuk was doing surprisingly well. The only two who struggled were Lo'ak and Neteyam.

Stelle' placed a hand on Neteyam's stomach to make sure he was breathing correctly. He stiffened under her touch, clearly taken by surprise.

"Breathe slowly.", she spoke in a low whisper. Loud enough for him to hear. Then she placed her hand on his heart. She felt it beating rapidly fast. "Your heart beat is fast. try to slow it down."

"Sorry.", said Neteyam, swallowing dryly. He was distracted. Stelle' could feel his stare on her as she focused on the rise and fall of his stomach trying to ignore the abs she felt against her hand.

"Just relax."

He found it hard to relax with the girl so close to him. He couldn't control his spiraling heartbeat. Her warm touch was distracting, her presence enough to send his heartbeat's pace skyrocketing.

Kirri and and Announg seemed to be the only ones who noticed, looking at each other and rolling their eyes.

"do I make you nervous, Neteyam?", stelle' asked in a low whisper seemingly innocently.

If his heartbeat was fast before it was even faster now. His mouth gaped,unsure of what to say. What could he say to that?

Stelle' wasn't expecting an answer to that, only removing her hands from his chest and heart with a smirk. "Come. I know what can help."

She stood up and he mimicked her. announg and kirri narrowed their eyes in suspicion and tsiereya furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Where are you going?", probed tsireya.

"I am showing him my place. It helps with concentration. You are welcome to join.", Stelle' replied.

Tuk stood up excitedly. "I wanna go! I wanna go!"

Lo'ak placed a hand on her shoulder bringing her back down to the floor. He gave his brother a knowing look but he only rolled his eyes.

'it isn't what you think' Neteyam spoke with his eyes.

-

at the age of five Stelle' stumbled across a more secluded part of their land. It was a pocket of space close to the water but surrounded in foliage. Seeing as nobody ever came across it, she was quick to claim it as hers and often found herself there when in need of some peace and quiet. She'd never shown anybody before, but knew it was just what Neteyam needed. She hoped it would loosen him up a bit and help him warm up to their home.

"Here." She stopped once they'd arrived. "Have a seat with me."

He sat cross legged directly in front of her. "This place is beautiful."

"I know. Seeing as it is more...jungle-like I thought it would make you feel more at home." Seeing the smile on his face gave away that she had probably been right. "Now close your eyes and focus on the sounds of the ocean."

He did as told, closing his eyes and letting the sounds of the shore kissing the sea give him something to focus on.

"Take deep breaths.", she instructed. "The deeper the better." She opened her eyes and noticed a large improvement. "Good."

-

Stelle' had no interest in being with the sully's aside from training them, which meant that her free time mostly consisted of going to her secluded place, spending time with tsireya, or with announg and his friends.

Announg had caught sight of her by the sea and walked over. " stelle' !"

"What?"

"Rotxo and I are heading outside of the reef to go hunting with some friends, you want to come?"

"your friends are a tad obsessed with me, I think I'll pass.", she joked.

" and I think you're a tad full of yourself. just saying." He smiled knowing a few of his friends had had a crush on her in the past if they didn't now. She had never shown any interest in them though, always preferring to keep to herself and her family where it was easier for her trust to lie.

"Besides, we are supposed to be teaching the sully's to ride Ilus in a little while."

"I'll leave that to tsireya and you."

She rolled her eyes. "Not surprised."

"Expect disappointment and don't get disappointed.", he spoke. It was like his motto at this point. It made stelle' want to throw a shell at his face, but he left before she could regret her decision not to.

she didn't want to grow attached to the sully's, still not sure if she should trust them at all but she couldn't help but be excited to see them later that day.

Don't know if these are a good length but I hope so. More Neteyam x stelle' content coming!!